A teenage girl has suffered potentially life-changing injuries after being stabbed in an east Suffolk village, as a cordon remains in place at the scene.
It is believed that the teenager was stabbed at about 2am on Sunday at the junction of Aldecar Lane and Benhall Green in Benhall, near Saxmundham.
The East of England Ambulance Service alerted Suffolk police shortly at 7am after it received reports that a girl had been attacked.
On arrival emergency services found the girl had suffered stab wounds and a back injury and she was taken to Ipswich Hospital for treatment.
She had been found by a dog walker a few hours after the incident had happened.
Police later arrested a 17-year-old boy on suspicion of assault causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
The suspect was taken to Martlesham police investigation centre for questioning, where he was further arrested while in custody on suspicion of attempted murder.
Suffolk police has been granted a superintendent’s extension to detain him for questioning for an additional 12 hours.
A large cordon has been put in place around a field where the incident is believed to have happened.
A number of police officers are still at the scene.
It is understood that the victim and suspect were known to each other and the incident is being treated as an isolated incident.
Inspector Gary King, of Suffolk police, said: “We fully understand the shock this will have caused within the local community and that many people will be feeling very concerned.
“I would like to reassure people that officers have been working non-stop in both our first response and the subsequent investigation and we do not believe there is any wider threat to the public.
"The victim and the suspect are known to each other.
“Officers have been supporting the victim and her family, while we have been continuing our enquiries into what is a very serious incident.”
Anyone with information related to the incident is urged to contact Suffolk police, quoting CAD number 83 of October 2.
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